Are there any words in the English language that can put you to sleep faster than budget?

Probably not. That being said, budgeting is an important skill to learn — one that can help you achieve your goals, financial or otherwise.

Luckily, budgeting doesn’t have to be a boring, painful experience. With a little help, you can easily balance your financial goals and your fun expenses.

Here’s where to start:

Establish your goals

First, let’s start with the fun part.

Take a few moments to sit down and figure out what your goals are. Do you want to save for retirement? Go back to school? Travel more? Go to next year’s big music festival? Spend more time with your family?

Once you’ve determined what your goals are — no matter how serious or frivolous they are — you should determine how much it will cost. Understanding what you want to do and how much money you need to do it will get you on the right track for balancing a budget. Which brings us to our next point.

Track your spending and make a budget

The best way to cut costs and put more money toward your savings is to take a good, hard look at what you’re making, what your spending and how to two compare. Create a spreadsheet, or keep a simple list, of every source of income, as well as what you spend each month. Once you’ve done that, you’ll want to look at your overall financial picture — including what you want your later years to look like.

When it comes to creating a budget, begin looking at what you can do to help achieve your goals a little faster. If you want to save for retirement, begin looking at 401(k) or IRA accounts. If one of your dreams is to invest in an RV that can take you and your family across the country, use an RV loan calculator to determine what you can afford, and when you can afford it.

You get the idea.

And, thankfully, technology can also help when it comes to budgeting and saving money. Mobile banking apps or third-party apps like You Need a Budget can help you keep track of your spending and reduce where possible.

Cancel memberships you don’t use anymore

This one might feel difficult at first, but evaluating all your monthly subscriptions and memberships could be an eye-opener for those looking to take control of their finances. Run back through at least six bank statements and look at each recurring cost, then ask yourself: Am I really using this?

If you work out at home more than the gym, go ahead and cancel your membership. If you’re watching one streaming service more than another one, cancel that subscription.

Your wallet will thank you for it, and you’ll have more money to put towards savings and nights out with friends.

Find extra cash

As you look at your set-in-stone financial responsibilities — i.e. rent, cell phones, etc. — and your fun expenses, it will become abundantly clear that more money could be useful. Even if you’re not in dire straits, a couple of extra bucks every month couldn’t hurt. Start by asking for an appropriate raise at work. Talk to your supervisor about the extra work you’ve done, the additional work you could take on and cost of living adjustments.

You can also turn your talents and hobbies into spare cash during your free time — you’d be surprised how quickly it adds up. Whether it’s selling your art or delivering food during your free time, these extra sources of income can go straight toward any goals you have.

Technology changes everything. This is especially true in business. If your business is still operating the same way that they did two decades ago, then you are drastically behind on the times. But it is not too late to play catch up if you have been dragging your feet. You can join in with the tech evolution. Here are four ways to bring your company into the 21st century.

Save Everything into the Cloud

The days of having to save all of your information into the same computer are over. And thank goodness it is! One computer catastrophe could mean losing all of the data you have acquired over the years. If you are not already saving your info into the cloud, it is time to do it immediately. This will make the data available on any computer device anywhere in the world. You are no longer tied down to just one computer. The storage of your data is in much safer hands in the cloud. Having your info saved entirely on the internet will keep you from getting burned down the road.

Operate Entirely Online

Brick and mortar stores are becoming a thing of the past. They eat up your profits with their rent or mortgage, utilities, and insurance among other things. If you can operate your business online from home then it is about time to switch on over. Your profits will grow as your expenses shrink.

Consider the Latest Software

If your business has a need for 3D technology, then  SolidWorks is maybe suitable for your company. For example, do you have to design and demonstrate products often? If you do, having a 3D version of the products will really add better description and detail to it. This will make your products jump off the page much better than two-dimensional images.

Automated Emails

Think of your company as a smaller version of Amazon. Consider what Amazon does for their customers. If you make a purchase on Amazon, it is a guarantee that you will receive reminder emails down the road asking if you would like to order again. This is something that you can do immediately with your customers. The saying out of sight, out of mind relates directly to business. If you are not constantly reminding them that you are around, they may start bringing their business to someone else.

The number of websites available currently through the internet just keeps on multiplying. Just in the time it took you to read that last sentence, there probably was fifty more websites added to the vastness of the net. There are numerous reasons everyone you know just about has their own website. Some use their website as sort of a personal diary letting others know what is going on in their life. Others create one for business purposes. Still others make a blog that they continually update to let others know what is on their mind. Regardless of the reason, everyone believes their website is important. But building a website can be needlessly complicated and even confusing if you are not careful. Listed below are a few ways to make your website run like a well-oiled machine without any complications.

Find the Right Web Hosting

Without a web hosting provider, your website will not be able to be viewed on the internet. A couple of the most popular ones, like Wix and GoDaddy, are pretty simple to use. They provide the technologies and services needed for your site as they are stored on their servers. You can also always buy a web hosting in Canada that will take care of it for you at a very good price. If you feel you are paying too much for web hosting, just take a moment to shop around and you may find a better deal.

Make It Easy for Others to Find You

Some people get way too cute with their website name and their URL address. You want others to be able to find you easily without having to crack a code in the process. Make your URL simple and your website name easy to remember. What you may believe as cute or catchy may be difficult for others to recall.

Don’t Take It All on Yourself

Everyone has that friend or relative that happens to know all about computers without even trying. It all just seems to come to them naturally. Might as well take advantage of their skills when it comes to building out your website. You can always make it up to them by treating them to dinner or watching their kids for a day. Being able to fix website problems without having to spend any cash is a perfect situation to be in.

An employee that is happy and satisfied with their job is a productive employee. Your business can start going wrong severely if your employees are unhappy about coming into work each day. Sometimes the issue is with a particular employee and it might be best to cut ties. However, if several employees are dissatisfied, it may be up to you to make some serious changes. Listed below are four ways to improve employee morale quickly.

Celebrate Birthdays

It may seem like a small thing, but when your employer takes the time to have a small birthday party with a cake in your honour, you feel special. In fact, you almost feel like family. Celebrating birthdays does not have to be a big production, but it will relieve some of the boredom of a workday.

Employee Bonuses

Every employee wants to be recognized for their special contributions. If you have employees that are going above and beyond, then you need to recognize them. Even just calling them into the office and giving them a small bonus will have them wanting to continue their hard work. A little recognition goes a long way in the workplace.

A Deferred Profit Sharing Plan (DPSP)

A DPSP is an employer-sponsored Canadian profit sharing plan where if the company is making profits, they share it with the rest of their employees. A DPSP plan includes tax incentives as well. No longer will the employees make the same amount of money whether the company is doing well or not. If the company is successful, the employees will take more home at the end of the day. This should make for some happy employees as everyone shares in the profits. Their loyalty will be at an all-time high when a DPSP plan is in place and the company is profitable.

Do Team Building Exercises Together

Team-building exercises usually get your employees to know and trust one another much better. It builds a sense of camaraderie that otherwise might not be there. After all, we always have the two or three people we talk to at work and then are just casually friendly to the rest. With some fun team-building exercises, it will become more like a family. Have some fun with these experiences! Bring in organizations that specialize in team-building exercises and it should be a fun day for all involved.

While it is easy to see how the decision to use a commercial recycling service will benefit the environment, it can sometimes be difficult to understand how this will help your company. In reality, however, investing in recycling should be a top priority for any business. From computer products and batteries to furniture and construction waste, there is much more you can recycle beyond basic paper and plastic products. Every effort can yield real benefits for your company.

1.        Save on Equipment Replacement

The purchase of new equipment can be one of the biggest expenses for a small business — but depending on what you need to replace, recycling will help you save. Many retailers offer a small refund or discount when you turn in old equipment for recycling prior to buying a replacement.

This is most common with computers and smartphones, though some retailers may even provide such benefits for batteries and other products. Donating old furniture that is still in usable condition could also get you a tax credit for making a charitable contribution. Either way, recycling becomes more financially helpful than simply throwing away outdated or unwanted items.

2.        Reduce Waste Costs

In the business world, waste management expenses are often calculated based on the amount of garbage that needs to get hauled away each year. In other words, producing less waste could lower this recurring utility bill — and recycling is a great way to accomplish this.

Commercial recycling services are often separate from the standard waste management company. As you start to shift toward recycling, a reduced need for waste removal could help you get discounted service or qualify you for a less expensive plan.

3.        Build Your Brand Image

These days, customers and employees alike have a greater tendency to look for businesses that reflect their values. Many people care about the environment and actively look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Recycling may be a small part in this, but it can go a long way in communicating your brand values to others.

Employees who feel like your company shares their values will be more productive and more likely to stick with you for the long haul. Some customers may even choose you over a competitor if they learn of your dedication to the environment.

While recycling won’t necessarily lead to direct sales for your company, there is no denying that it can ultimately prove to be of great worth for your brand. Yes, recycling is the right choice for helping the environment — but when you make it a key practice at your facility, it can ultimately help your bottom line as well.

Sales and service companies deal with a lot of numbers on a daily basis — but keeping everything organized so you can fully understand your financial situation can often be easier said than done. When you test the FinancialForce ERP, you will quickly discover that using an integrated cloud solution is the best way to keep your entire staff on the same page and improve your overall efficiency. Here is a closer look at how your company can benefit from this software.

1.        Salesforce Integration

Many sales companies already use Salesforce. This understandably makes the idea of adding another software program for your team to work with feel like an unnecessary complication. FinancialForce ERP sidesteps this common concern because it is built to interact directly with Salesforce. This ensures that sales and financial data will remain perfectly in sync through the Salesforce Sales Cloud.

Instead of being an additional separate platform that employees will need to manage, this allows FinancialForce ERP to essentially operate as an extension of the same system they already know and use.

2.        Fast, Streamlined Reporting

The miscommunications between sales and finances departments can prove costly. Unfortunately, common issues like double data entry or delays in receiving reports can make it all too easy for such mishaps to occur.

With FinancialForce ERP, key tasks like revenue and billing recognition are more fully automated, helping staff save valuable time for other tasks. The cloud-based nature of the platform also allows team members to submit expense reports, time sheets, and other data at any time, whether they are in the office or travelling on a business trip. Because information is updated automatically across shared platforms, everyone will have the data they need, when they need it.

3.        Collaboration Yields Better Service

Ultimately, allowing tools like FinancialForce ERP to help you develop a single integrated platform will enable different departments to work better with each other. By avoiding delays and miscommunications, you can complete projects in a timely manner, deliver better service to customers, and always remain fully aware of your financial situation.

Coordinating everyone’s work through a single platform creates a more cohesive, collaborative work environment. As a result, with more efficient service, your sales team can improve close times and rates, ultimately allowing your business to experience rapid, efficient profit growth to benefit everyone.

Conclusion

The aforementioned benefits make FinancialForce ERP easy to implement while also ensuring that your team will be better equipped to meet sales and growth goals. With automation, real-time data sharing, and more, your team will be more efficient than ever before.